Improvement in cotton-presses



J. D. STANLEY.

Cotton-Press.

Patented Se pt. 10, 1818.

WITNESSES N. Firms, PHOTo-UTMOGRAPHER, WAS INGTON. D, C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES D. STANLEY, OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMP'ROVEMENT I N COTTON-PRESS ES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,991, dated September 10, 1878; application filed August 24, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns D. STANLEY, of the city of Wilmington, in the county of New Hanover and State of North Carolina, have invented certain Improvements in Cotton- Presses, of which the following is a specificament. The advantages attending this construction are those of simplicity and cheapness of construction, ease and rapidity of operation, and the economy of power effected by its use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the press, showing it open.

Fig. 2 is a similar view representing it closed,

and Fig. 3 is an end view of the press.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts of the invention in all the views.

A A A A are the four posts or uprights forming the main portion of the frame of the press. 13 B and O O are, respectively, bottom and top cross-timbers uniting with the posts A, and forming the upper and lower parts of the frame-work. The timbers B and C also serve as the rests'for the fixed platens The remaining portions of the framework consist of the cross-pieces cl d d d, which also constitute the guide or track for the draft-bar E, before referred to.

The upper and lower moving platens are rep resented, respectively, by F and F. The toggle-bars before named are shown by a a a, and are pivoted to the followers G G and central draft-rod, E. Sheaves e are placed at the sides of the followers G G, being guarded by plates 0.

The draft-rod E is guided by pieces-d d d" d, which are secured to the frame-work, and its motions in the forward and backward directions are checked by shoulders f and g, which are brought up against the posts of the frame-work A.

' The operation of the press will be easily understood from the drawings. Two bales are pressed by one action of the machine, which, when the bales are to be inserted, is brought to the position shown in Fig. 1. The draftrod E is then drawn by suitably applied power in'the direction of the arrow until the shoulder g bears against the frame-work. v

The followers and moving platens are caused to approach the fixed platens, and the operation of pressing effected by the straightening out of the toggle-bars a.

The series of toggle-bars attached lengthwise to the draft-rod and to the moving platens cause the strain to be equally distributed, a strictly parallel movement of the platens being at all times maintained-an advantage which is not to be derived from the placing of the toggle-bars only centrally of the platens.

I do not claim, broadly, the combination of a toggle-bar with a moving platen; but,

Having described the construction and operation of the press, I claim as my invention In a cotton or'other press having upper and lower fixed platens, a central horizontallymoving draft-rod having shoulders for checking its movement, combined with a series of toggle-bars pivoted lengthwise thereto, and to vertically-reciprocating followers and platens guided by sheaves, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I hereto subscribe my name 111 the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES D. STANLEY. 

